


For the First Time in Forever

by Lady_of_theStars



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Arthur Finds Out About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Brief Mentions of Blood, Canon-Typical Violence, Druids, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Gwaine Being Gwaine (Merlin), Gwaine Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Gwaine ships it, How Do I Tag, Inspired by Frozen (Disney Movies), M/M, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Merthur - Freeform, Minor Character Death, Minor Character(s), Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Powerful Merlin (Merlin), True Love's Kiss, but nothing graphic, emrys - Freeform, legit the plot from Frozen but with Merthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:46:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27268219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_of_theStars/pseuds/Lady_of_theStars
Summary: An attack happens during Arthur's coronation where Merlin is forced to reveal his magic and flees in the storm.-Or, the plot of Disney's Frozen but with Merthur (I promise it's better than it sounds and it's not Frozen word for word)
Relationships: Agravaine & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Aithusa & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Aithusa & Gwaine (Merlin), Aithusa & Merlin (Merlin), Gwaine & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Gwaine & Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 30
Kudos: 200





	1. I Finally Understand

**Author's Note:**

> As said in the summary, this fic follows Frozen's plot line but is set in Camelot and follows Merlin and Arthur's POVs. I haven't been inspired by other works, so if you've seen something similar before, I did not intend to copy the idea. Actually, this idea came to me while listening to For the First Time in Forever (reprise) and I couldn't help but imagine Merlin losing control of his magic and Arthur trying to help him, and then I figured that the entire movie could work for them! So I HAD to write a fic! I have the entire thing planned out and I'll try to post a chapter every week (around Friday). 
> 
> Anything you might recognize does not belong to me, it belongs to BBC and Disney
> 
> Title taken from the song from the same name (and every chapter's title will be a lyric from the reprise)
> 
> Thank you to my dear friend for reading my work and giving me feedback! It's really appreciated!

The throne room was filled with people in colourful silks and expensive jewellery that were dancing to the rhythm of whatever melody the string quartet was playing at the moment. The spirits were high and the wine was flowing freely. Even the servants tending to the guests seemed to actually enjoy the party despite their work. 

Merlin, though, only had eyes for the newly crowned king. His eyes were trained on his friend at all times, only breaking his stare when some overly joyful noble signals to him for a refill of wine. 

Arthur, looking as regal as ever in his new crown, was constantly being assaulted either by noblewomen trying to gain his favour, or his father’s allies wishing him success in his new reign. When the young Pendragon caught Merlin’s eyes, he flashed him a smile immediately followed by his signature eye roll. Merlin couldn’t help but laugh and Arthur gestured for him to join him near his throne after he had dismissed the clingy guests. 

« Do you smell that? »

« What milord? »

Both servant and master took a breath to smell the air and looked at each other:

« Chocolate! » they said at the exact same time, resulting in a fit of laughter from both of them, which got noticed by Arthur’s uncle, Agravaine. The stern man shot the boys a death glare that would have made anyone wither on the spot, but Arthur, actually enjoying himself, paid no mind to it. 

« Merlin, come! » Arthur said, dragging his friend behind, « Let's taste the chocolate they brought! »

Merlin laughed again and followed the king to the sweet’s table and proceeded to gorge himself in all matters of delights he’d never even seen before as Arthur looked at him with a fond look on his face. Everything was perfect. So, inevitably, this is where things tend to go wrong in their lives. 

Surely enough, barely a few minutes later, the doors to the throne room burst open to reveal a group of men draped in fur cloaks, each wielding a staff of intertwined wood with a glowing stone at the top. 

« Arthur Pendragon, prepare to die! » the leader said.

People started screaming and running like headless chickens, but one of the sorcerers stopped them all without a word, and parted the restrained guests to make a path to the newly crowned king of Camelot. 

The group of hooded sorcerers made their way towards Arthur, everyone rendered helpless by the stunning spell the men had conjured. As the sorcerers started chanting, a great ball of light forming between them, Merlin tried to break free of his magical restrain but, surprisingly, failing. He could only watch Arthur’s face, an unreadable expression in his eyes. When the sorcerers finished their incantation and threw the magical light towards Arthur, Merlin managed to escape his bounds and shoot a spell of his own to block the group’s attack. The plasma ball between his hands, Merlin ignored the startled gasps coming from the guests all around him. He threw back the magical energy at the sorcerers who blocked it with difficulty, their magical shield withering to nothing under Emrys’ assault. Finally, after numerous spells and flashes of lightning, Merlin landed a successful hit that made his enemies instantly combust into flames, their only remains consisting in smoking ashes on the polished floor. 

Merlin sighed and turned around with dread written on his face, the gold in his eyes fading to his original stormy blue colour, the low rumble of thunder echoing in the night sky. His scared eyes met Arthur’s shocked ones:

« Arthur, I can explain! Just- listen to me! »

The king slowly approached the panicked warlock, an unreadable expression on his face.

« Please Arthur! I was born with it! I’ve only used it for you! I mean no harm! You should know that! » Merlin said without stopping a moment. He was breathing rapidly, his eyes were glassy and he kept twitching, his magic glowing uncontrollably around his thin frame. The rain was pouring outside and lighting lighted the dark sky in blueish brightness. 

Merlin couldn’t bear it anymore. Everyone’s stares, the hushed whispers, the betrayed looks on his friend’s faces and, worst of all, Arthur’s unreadable expression. He was going to die for sure! He needed to get out of there. Going to Camelot all those years ago was a bad idea! Why did he think he could hide his magic from his friend, his master, the king! 

It was too much. Merlin broke into a run, dodging the guests in his way, sometimes needing magic to open doors, Arthur right on his heels. Without pausing for a second, the warlock burst through the front doors, into the storm, heading towards the woods. 

Arthur stopped in the threshold, clutching Merlin’s neckerchief that must have fallen off in his panic, watching his dear friend run for his life away from him. The young king was lost in thought when his uncle’s hand landed on his shoulder, startling him:

« Arthur, you should come back. The guests are scared. You need to talk to them, reassure them. They need to know that their king will protect them. »

« I can’t, Uncle. I need to go after Merlin. I need to make sure he’s alright, he seemed pretty scared there. »

« You want to go after a sorcerer! Are you mad? Do I have to remind you that his kind killed your mother, my dear sister? What more proof do you need that magic is evil? »

« If- if Merlin has magic, not all sorcerers must be evil. He has more kindness in his little finger than most people have in their entire bodies! I’m going after him. »

« But sire- »

« I will go after Merlin, no discussion, Uncle. »

« Arthur, surely you know that this is madness! »

« Fetch a servant to ready my horse. I’m leaving this instant. I trust you will know what to say to the subjects. I’m leaving you in charge of the kingdom during my absence. »

When his horse was ready, Arthur took hold of the reins and broke into a fast-paced gallop in search of his manservant, friend and newly discovered sorcerer.


	2. You Don't Have to Keep Your Distance Anymore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have forgotten to mention that the knights of the round table haven't been formed (because I needed Gwaine to be out of Camelot for this to work XD)
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!

Arthur was exhausted. The dampness was seeping through his bones and his clothes were sticking to his skin, wet with the relentless rain Merlin had somehow conjured. His horse was tiring too, so the king decided to call it a day and stop to rest at the inn of a nearby village. 

As he led his horse to the small stable next to the inn and fed him hay, Arthur heard a commotion coming from the tavern. Even though he was not in the mood for trouble, his sense of justice got the better of him and he tried to enter the building discreetly to avoid being caught in a brawl. Despite his efforts to avoid being spotted, or worst, recognized, Arthur froze in his tracks as he heard an all too familiar voice screaming his name:

« Arthur! Fancy meeting you here mate! »

Arthur let out a resigned sigh and turned around to find a very drunk Gwaine. He was obviously the one who had started the commotion before Arthur entered because, barely a second after calling Arthur’s name, he received a punch in the gut that made him double over in pain:

« A little help here sire? »

« Gwaine, you can’t start fights in every tavern you go to, » Arthur said exasperated, rolling his eyes at Gwaine lying on the ground, « Someday, you’re going to get into real trouble and I won’t be able to save your sorry arse. »

« Well, while you’re here, princess, would you mind lending me a hand and we can go back to our normal lives? » Gwaine asked. His mind seemed to regain a bit of clarity because he frowned at Arthur, « And where’s Merlin? Please don’t tell me he’s wandering around in this weather doing chores for you! »

« Actually, it’s a long story… » Arthur trailed off as a big brute lifted Gwaine by the collar of his shirt but immediately dropped him when Arthur’s fist collided with his jaw.

« Didn’t know you had that in you, princess! Tell you what, you help me get out of here in one piece and you tell me about Merlin, all right? » Gwaine shot at Arthur, swinging his head to flip his luscious mane that was obscuring his vision. Arthur’s only answer was a strike from his sword towards one of the tavern thugs.

« What did you do to those guys anyway? » the king asked his friend as he brought down yet another drunk brute.

« Nothing! You know, the usual, I was just playing cards with them when this- » Gwaine was cut off as Arthur yanked on his arm and started running towards the exit and away from the brawl. After dodging a few close punches, both men managed to get to the stables where Arthur had left his horse only a few minutes ago, but, inevitably, they were followed there too and the fighting resumed in the hay. Fortunately, there were only a few brave men who dared the follow Arthur and Gwaine out in the storm, so they were able to fight them off relatively easily. But, as the last of the thugs cowered away, Arthur noticed that one of them had released his horse during the commotion! Well. This day was just getting better and better! 

« Thank you, Gwaine! We are now without a horse and I cannot go back there to get a room for the night, or even supplies! » Arthur started pacing, restlessly running a hand through his wet golden locks.

« Look, I didn’t mean to get you in trouble, but we can’t change what happened. » Gwaine said, « So why don’t we just get comfortable and you can tell me what this is all about, eh? »

Arthur only grunted in acknowledgement and placed a relatively clean horse blanket on a pile of hay for a makeshift bed. Just as he was about to start his story, Gwaine interrupted him:

« Do you have anything to eat? I’m starving! »

The king looked at him with a raised eyebrow, a look that clearly conveyed his message: ‘’You’re an idiot’’

« What? A guy needs his strength! »

« You literally were in a tavern for who knows how long! »

« Yeah, to drink! In all honesty, though, I don’t even remember the last time I ate, » Gwaine trailed off, probably daydreaming about hot apple pie and fresh cheese as Arthur rummaged around him until he found what he was looking for. 

Gwaine jolted awake from his fantasy as Arthur threw a sack onto his lap. He shot Arthur a questioning look and the other answered with a shrug: 

« I spotted it when I first arrived here. It’s for the horses, but I thought that, with your phenomenal appetite, you could at least give it a try »

Gwaine cast another weary look at his friend and decided to ignore the jibe forming in his head, choosing instead to open the mysterious bag. Inside he found long orange vegetables:

« Are you kidding me. Carrots. Why did it have to be carrots. Why couldn’t it have been filled with delicious, juicy apples!! »

Arthur snorted at Gwaine’s antics « You'd better eat up Gwaine, because I don’t know when we’ll be able to next. With this weather, game will be scarce and the next village is more than a day’s ride away. We’ll just have to find Merlin first, » Arthur said that last part so quietly Gwaine almost didn’t hear it over the sound of his munching:

« What’s the deal with him? He’s always with you. Where’s he at now? Why do you need to find him? »

Arthur sighed and settled down more comfortably on the horse blanket and started explaining what had happened since his coronation, barely a day ago. He told him everything, from the group of sorcerers’ attack, to Merlin’s magic, to his frightened escape. There must have been something in the way he spoke about his manservant that made Gwaine soften:

« You like him, don’t you? »

« Wha- what? I- » Arthur let out a resigned sigh and (was that a blush???) rand a hand through his damp hair, « I just- I care about him alright? He’s my best friend and I don’t want to lose him »

« Awwwww! Arty’s in love! » Gwaine said with a smirk.

« Do shut up, » Arthur glared but the effect was lost because his face had grown heated and his cheeks flushed, which only resulted in Gwaine’s snickering before his face settled into something akin to seriousness:

« But really, Arthur. Merlin’s lucky to have you, » Gwaine said, « Well he’s lucky to have me too but we all know that already »

The newly crowned king chuckled a bit:

« All right Gwaine, that’s enough. We should get some rest. We’re leaving early tomorrow »

« Whatever you say sire, » but the rest of his sentence got lost in a very loud yawn, « Good night Arthur »

« Good night Gwaine »

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you liked this part of the story! Comments and kudos are appreciated! I like to know what the readers think ;) 
> 
> I am currently writing the third chapter so it should be up next Thursday or Friday! 
> 
> See you around! ❤️


	3. You Don't Have to Live in Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so this was supposed to be a shorter chapter because I was planning on doing three different shorter scenes and I had a math exam Tuesday so I didn't have the time to write before that, but I started writing today and everything just flowed through me haha! So this is the longest chapter yet, AND ready a day before! Ah, the irony! 
> 
> I also wanted to mention that Aithusa in introduced in this chapter and, because canon never specified the gender, I decided (like many fanfic writers I think) to make Aithusa female, so I will be using she/her pronouns when referring to her. 
> 
> This is the Merlin-Let it Go scene and, because some of you asked if Merlin was to sing the song, I will post a bonus crack!chapter about Merlin signing Let it Go, either right after this chapter (before chapter 4) or at the end of this fic depending on the time I have to write it.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Merlin had no idea where he was or for how long he’d been running. It didn’t matter. He had to get as far away as possible from Camelot. And from Arthur. Just thinking about his master and friend made his heart clench in a painful way that had nothing to do with his exhaustion. He didn’t understand what he felt. Somehow, buried somewhere beneath the crippling fear that hadn’t let go since revealing his magic to the entire court, Merlin still felt something for his king, but he didn’t know what it was. It felt as though his head was telling him to be scared of Arthur and the laws of Camelot, and his heart was telling him that Arthur would never hurt him and maybe even went as far as caring for him. It didn’t matter now anyway, he wasn’t planning on going back to Camelot. He’d possibly take refuge with the druids and learn more about magic with them before going his own way to live a hermit life, away from everyone’s expectations and free to perform magic as he pleased. 

Finally giving in to his exhaustion, Merlin slowed his pace to a lazy stroll, only just realizing how far he had strayed from Camelot. His wet clothes were sticking to his skin and he started shivering in the rain that he had created. With magic. Merlin slowly came to his senses that he was alone, going to the druids as a member of the magical community. He could use his magic freely. 

The warlock started by shielding himself from the storm, not quite feeling up to the task of stopping it just yet, and dried his clothes. He created a small orb of light exuding comfortable warmth in his hand and regained control of himself. He got his bearings and noticed that he had gone north, always getting closer to Ealdor. Merlin considered taking refuge at his mother’s house, but quickly dismissed the idea because he did not think he could face her when he had failed at keeping his magic a secret and, worst of all, had failed Arthur. 

No. He would follow his original plan of seeking refuge with the druids before setting off on his own. Though there weren’t many druid camps that Merlin knew about, he remembered that, as a child, he had heard stories of magical beings residing at the top of the steepest mountain up north. That’s where he would go. 

So Merlin set off again, a new purpose guiding his steps, the promise of a life where he could fully embrace who he was and be free of practising magic as he’d wish. « And what about Arthur? » a tiny voice in his mind said. The warlock thought for a moment but decided against going back to a place where he would most surely be put to death. Arthur was king now. Merlin had guided him through his princely life and was now sure that he was a good man and an even better king. Arthur could become the Once and Future King the legends sung and praised. He didn’t need Merlin anymore. And he certainly wouldn’t want him either. 

He would go to the magic. He would be whom the druids revered. He would be the last dragon lord. He would be the most powerful sorcerer to ever live; the greatest sorcerer to ever walk the Earth. He would not be Merlin. He would be Emrys.

— Meanwhile… — 

In Camelot, things were hectic; panicked nobles asking about the newly crowned king and his magical servant, senior knights and members of the council screaming to organize a search party to arrest the rogue sorcerer while younger knights and the occasional brave servant tried to defend Merlin’s life. Luckily, being well versed in the art of politics and managing the populace, Agravaine took the upper hand as former regent of the kingdom: 

« I know that everything about this admittedly strange situation is going against every law Camelot upholds, but I received strict orders from King Arthur to take care of the kingdom in his absence and, rest assured, I will do everything in my power to let order reign! » Agravaine said when he managed to get to the front of the throne room, « Now, we need to help the people in the lower town and give them shelter from this horrid weather. Servants, gather as many blankets as you can and prepare the castle for the people » 

The servants bustled around, fetching this or that and getting the rooms ready to host the citizens of Camelot that were in need of shelter, lighting fires, creating makeshift beds on the stone floor and making soup for the villagers. When everything was ready, a few groups of knights headed outside to help the people and bring them to the castle, Agravaine standing at the door to guide them inside. 

When the needy were safe and dry within the walls of the citadel and the remainder of the knights were finishing up closing the castle, a very tired-looking, frightened and soaked horse came into the courtyard at a full gallop, startling the people there. Agravaine reacted immediately, recognizing the horse that Arthur took when leaving Camelot a few hours ago. Fearing for the worst, he called all of the knights to him: 

« Loyal knights, this is King Arthur’s mount! » Agravaine called out, « I fear something dire has happened to our sovereign when he left in a quest to retrieve his magical, » he spat that last word, « manservant. We need to set out immediately to make sure our king is unharmed and to neutralize the sorcerer! »

There was a collective shout of agreement from the listeners. 

« If His Majesty is too soft to carry on the sentence, we must find the wizard and kill him before he comes back stronger to annihilate our precious kingdom! » Agravaine was full on screaming now, « Men, gather supplies, we set off within the hour! And don’t forget to bring your sharpest sword and strongest crossbow! » Another collective shout from the masses that had assembled at the regent’s feet and they all set off their own ways to prepare for the hunt of their lives. 

Agravaine sighed as his feet led him to the vaults under Camelot to retrieve the cold-iron clasps that could neutralize even the most powerful of sorcerers: 

« I fear we are going to need all the help we can get » 

— In the morning, on the outskirts of Camelot… — 

« Are we there yet? » 

« For the fifth time, Gwaine, we’ll get there when we get there! » 

The young king was getting more frustrated with every passing minute he spent in the company of dear ol’ Gwaine. The man kept on chatting Arthur’s ears off, all while whining because he was tired of walking and his feet were wet. 

« Sooooooo, » Gwaine trailed off as Arthur shot him an annoyed glance, « What’s going on between you and Merlin? » 

The king startled at that: 

« There’s nothing going on! » 

Gwaine simply looked at him with a raised eyebrow: 

« But you like him » 

Arthur stayed silent. 

« Honestly, you call yourself brave and all but you can’t even man up enough to ask him out? » 

« Gwaine, » Arthur growled low, a warning, but, with a glance Gwaine’s way he added, « I just don’t want to ruin what we have now » 

Gwaine scoffed at that:

« How can a man like you be so oblivious! I mean it’s obvious he likes you too! » 

« Wha— »

« Oh come on Arthur! » Gwaine interrupted, « You guys are literally like two sides of the same coin! It’s like destiny brought you together! You’re a match made in heaven! » 

Arthur thought for a while but, before he could answer, a noise like a rustling in the leaves made him turn around on the spot: 

« Who’s there? Show yourself! » 

But instead of battle cries and bandits running towards them, the only sound that could be heard was a tiny whimper. The men gave each other a quizzical look and Gwaine set off to the source of the noise. 

« Gwaine, be careful! It could be a trap! » Arthur whispered loudly. 

« Oh relax princess! It’s probably just a wounded animal that could serve as a wonderful dinner! Certainly better than those carrots! »   
But as Gwaine approached the cluster of bushes, a white silhouette sprang from the ground and flew right into Arthur’s arms, the king letting out a startled shout: 

« What in the name of all the gods is this?!? » 

The tiny beast turned its big blue eyes to Arthur’s and looked at him with unmasked curiosity. Gwaine made his way back from the creature’s hiding place towards the king: 

« Awwww! Looks like it’s quite fond of you milord! » 

It was at that moment that the strange animal turned its head and looked at Gwaine with anger and hatred clear in its stare. 

« Ooohhhh sorry lad! I mean /he/ looks quite fond of you! » Gwaine received a menacing growl in answer. 

« Wait… Does that mean it’s a girl? » 

The creature let out a sound that almost felt like a laugh and Arthur couldn’t help but giggle a bit too: 

« Well, at least we know that she can understand us! What are you little one? » 

The lizard-like beast spread its wings and fluttered around Arthur before settling back down in his arms. 

« She gives me straight-up dragon vibes, » Gwaine observed. [A/N: I am /so/ sorry for writing this sentence XD I was just laughing alone in front of my computer imagining Gwaine saying this so now you have to imagine it too] 

The tiny thing chirped happily in response to Gwaine’s comment and snuggled closer to Arthur, seeking more warmth. Arthur had to resist the urge to pet her and looked into her bright blue eyes that reminded him of Merlin’s. Gods he was so pathetic. Recently, everything made him think about his servant. He just needed to find him and make sure has was safe! Which resulted in some kind of desperate illumination: 

« Hey, » he asked softly, « We’re looking for our friend, Merlin, » the dragon peaked at the name, « Have you seen him anywhere? » 

She flew around excitedly while nodding her head. Arthur and Gwaine shared a hopeful look:

« Do you think you can lead us to him? » 

The white dragon kept on nodding and seemed to lead the men further down the path they were following. Gwaine bolted after her shouting « Alright! Keep going north! » while Arthur sighed and whispered to himself: 

« Merlin, where are you? »

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Kudos and comments are always appreciated! Have a great week!


	4. We Can Fix This Hand in Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before starting this chapter, I just want to credit Disney once again, because this chapter is heavily inspired by the scene from the movie Frozen since I watched the scene before writing the chapter. This means that some of the dialogue is taken from Disney's movie and song For the First Time in Forever (reprise). 
> 
> Like I said at the beginning of the story, anything you might recognize does not belong to me. I simply borrowed it to make our favourite boys live another adventure.
> 
> On with the story! Hope you enjoy!!

The early morning light made the world seem dull and gray, as the sun couldn’t pierce the thick dark clouds. Arthur and Gwaine had been following Aithusa for hours without stopping. Even though the trek up north was tiring and dull, both men kept going, driven by the desire of getting to Merlin as fast as possible. 

When the sharp spires piercing the clouds finally came into view, Arthur’s spirits lifted. He was finally going to see Merlin! But, with his reunion with Merlin getting closer, his insecurities grew too. How was he supposed to talk to someone who didn’t want to be found? How could he make Merlin see past his dread that he had nothing to fear from Arthur? 

It was Gwaine who got him out of his brooding by pointing out that they had arrived at the foot of the mountain. Arthur stopped to admire Merlin’s hiding place: a steep monolith that stood out from its surroundings; thick, lush trees covering seemingly every inch of the mountain’s sides; and a peak so high it pierced the clouds. Arthur couldn’t help but admire his friend’s choice. No one in his right mind would dare go up there, what with the very obvious magic in the air. But, of course, the king wasn’t in his right mind either. Merlin had fled, scared for his life, feeling as if he had betrayed everyone. And Arthur didn’t have any of that. So, he started his ascendance towards his best friend in hopes of finding him and reason with him, Gwaine and Aithusa right behind him. 

— 

The climb was taking its toll on them, and the growing lack of breathable air was making them dizzy. Arthur almost considered going back, but his wavering faith was short-lived as he spotted the signs of human life ahead: bits of cloth hung around the branches of trees, the grass was more and more trampled by human feet treading through it multiple times a day and, a few moments later, smoke coming from campfires. 

As the three companions got closer to the druid camp, they heard voices and children laughing. Arthur stopped in his tracks, less sure of himself. How would the son of Uther Pendragon, the man who had all but eradicated magic, be welcomed? Gwaine seemed to feel his unease as he clasped his hand on his shoulder: 

« It’s all right princess! Just be true to yourself and show them the reason you are here » 

Arthur looked down at his hands, clutching the neckerchief Merlin had dropped during his escape from Camelot and took a deep breath, readying himself for his conversation with the Druids. As he took a step forward, away from the cover of the trees, a tall man with dark skin and kind gray eyes raised his head and looked at him: 

« Ah! The young Pendragon finally arrives! We were beginning to worry that you weren’t coming at all! » 

« Wha— I’m sorry, you /knew/ I was coming? » 

The man, who seemed like the leader, chuckled: 

« You forget, my lord, that we know more about the future than you could possibly fathom » Arthur’s eyes widened at that, « Plus, Emrys is here and we know all about you through him » He looked Arthur dead in the eyes at that, « His loyalty to you knows no bounds and exceeds his duty as your manservant and protector » 

The king of Camelot swallowed forcefully: 

« Will— Will you lead me to him? » 

« As you wish Your Majesty » The man said with a light bow of his head as his led Arthur, Gwaine and Aithusa to a small cabin apart from the rest of the camp before retreating without a word. 

Speaking for the first time in quite some time, Gwaine’s voice startled Arthur out of his contemplation: 

« So are we going in or…….? » 

« Look, Gwaine, you should stay here, alright? I should be the one doing this » 

The man seemed as if he were about to protest, but seeing the look in Arthur’s eyes made any objection he might’ve had die on his lips and he sighed: 

« Fine! But you’d better not mess it up! » Gwaine said, pointing an accusing finger at Arthur’s chest, which made the king chuckle: 

« I won’t Gwaine, I promise » 

With a last lingering look, Arthur turned around and went to knock on the wooden door. Surprisingly, it opened seemingly of its own accord and, after a moment’s hesitation, the king stepped inside, the door closing right behind him. He took a moment to admire the inside of the little cabin. Everything felt so /Merlin/: Stacks of books everywhere around the room, bottles of different shapes and sizes filled liquids of various colours. There were even numerous orbs of light floating around resembling the one that had saved Arthur all those years ago when he was looking for the Mortaeus flower. When he was done admiring the place Merlin had made his own, the king called for him: 

« Merlin! It’s me, Arthur! » 

« Arthur? » A small voice said, barely above a whisper, as Merlin stepped out of the shadow revealing himself. 

He was no longer dressed in his usual blue shirt, brown jacket and neckerchief. Instead, he wore flowing purple robes resembling those the most influential magic users usually adorned. 

« Woah, Merlin! You look, » Arthur hesitated there, « Different! » He has almost said beautiful but caught himself just in time. 

The sorcerer in question chuckled softly: 

« I never knew what I was capable of until the druids opened my eyes » 

« Merlin, look, I’m sorry for what happened at the coronation, I didn’t mean to scare you, I didn’t mean for you to run away! Please come back! » 

« No, no, it’s ok, you don’t need to apologize! But I can’t go back, Arthur, and you know that! You should return to Camelot, where you belong » 

« You belong there too! » 

« No, I belong here, where I can fully embrace my magic. You don’t need me anymore. You can be the king you were always destined to be! Here, away from everything, I can’t hurt anyone » 

At that moment, the wooden door burst open to reveal Aithusa, struggling to fly in the enclosed space but, when she noticed Merlin, she shrieked and buried herself in his arms. 

« Aithusa? What— What are you doing here? » 

« She’s the one who led us to you. You two seem to have quite the bond! You know, you can bring her to Camelot, I’m sure our friends would love to meet her! » 

« No! I can’t! Leave me be! Go back to Camelot and be the king your people need » 

Arthur took a step forward as Merlin took a step back: 

« Please, don’t shut me out! We don’t have to keep secrets anymore! » Arthur pleaded, running after Merlin who had bolted, « I understand now, I understand that you’ve been through so much alone, but let me help you! Come back to Camelot with me, you don’t have to be afraid, I’ll protect you! I’ll be right here! » 

Merlin had stopped running but still stayed far away from Arthur as he turned around: 

« Arthur, please go away and live your life without me! Go train your knights, » Merlin paused there, « Go get a new servant. You don’t need me, I’ll just ruin everything… again » 

« Yeah but, » Arthur started but Merlin interrupted him: 

« I know, you mean well, but leave me be. Yes, I’m away from everyone, but I’m free to use my magic! Just go away and forget me! » 

Arthur made to take Merlin’s hands, but the sorcerer recoiled and backed away some more. 

« The night you fled Camelot, you unleashed your magic and now, the elements are going haywire in the kingdom, » Merlin’s eyes widened as he retreated further into the woods, « Please come back and control the weather! You’re our only hope! » Arthur finished his sentence quietly, looking Merlin in the eyes, « /I/ need you » 

The king’s heart broke into a million little pieces as Merlin turned his back to him and buried his head in his hands, softly murmuring, « No, no, I can’t! » broken with what seemed like « Can’t control […] storm inside […] curse » 

Arthur still tried to get closer to his friend as the wind picked up around them, the trees slashing in the air and the leaves whirling at their feet as the king kept talking to Merlin: 

« You don’t have to be afraid! We’ll work it out together! The sun will shine on us again! Don’t panic, everything will be alright! » 

At this moment, the wind dropped and the world stilled for the smallest moment, so much so that Arthur thought he had imagined it, before Merlin’s magic lashed out. With a guttural scream, golden light burst out of his body as if it couldn’t be contained anymore, illuminating the dark forest. Arthur only had a moment to admire the beauty of Merlin’s magic, though, because he felt a searing pain in his chest, a burn that seemed to seep into his bones to overtake him. The excruciating feeling lasted only for a moment before Arthur’s knees gave out and he blacked out, only catching a glimpse of Merlin’s panicked face, eyes fading back to blue, rushing towards him.

— Gwaine’s POV — 

As a blinding light pierced through the darkness of the trees, Gwaine sprang from his seat on a damp log and all but flew to where he thought Merlin and Arthur were, but, when he arrived, he only saw Merlin’s lithe form cradling Arthur’s limp body. Gwaine ran to his friends and noticed that Merlin’s face was wet with tears: 

« Merlin? » He breathed out, « What— what happened? » 

Merlin started crying harder, clutching Arthur’s still form: 

« I— I didn’t mean to! My magic! It just— I lost control of it! And now he’s hurt and I can’t do anything about it— »

Gwaine cut off his friend’s rambling as he got up: 

« I’m going to ask the druids for help! Surely they must know a way to save Arthur! » 

He left, sending a last look Merlin’s way before running in the direction they came from, towards the druid camp. When he arrived, panting and distressed, they knew something had happened. The man who had welcomed them stepped forward to ask him what happened. Gwaine explained everything that he knew, from Arthur going in to talk with Merlin to the blinding light, that they somehow haven’t seen, and Arthur’s condition. The leader shared a look of concern with some of his comrades who nodded, looking grim, and the man turned back to Gwaine: 

« There is only one cure known to being shot in the heart by a burst of magic as pure as that » 

Gwaine leaned forward, impatient, as the man continued, 

« The only way to break a spell that has reached the heart is with true love’s kiss » 

Gwaine’s eyes widened in realization but, as he made to run back to his friends, an arrow whizzed past his head to land directly in the Druid’s chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhhhh! Quite the cliffhanger! Hahaha!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I had a bit of a hard time writing the beginning because I had too many ideas while being unable to write any of them 🙄🤷♀️Oh well! I think it came out fine? Anyway, tell me what you think!


	5. I'm Such a Fool I Can't Be Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely readers! I'm sorry this chapter is out later, I haven't had the time to write this week because of the end of the semester and upcoming exams.... The chapter is also shorter (and there wasn't much to write about according to what I had planned), so I'll try to make the next one a bit longer too!
> 
> Hope you enjoy this part!

Gwaine turned around as fast as he could, glimpsing pendragon red moving swiftly through the trees. As he tried to pinpoint the direction the arrow that had killed the leader of the druids came from, other druids were being shot down and screams filled the air. As more and more of the druids were slaughtered, Gwaine stood in the middle of it all, barely dodging arrows coming his way as he ran for cover. During these few seconds that felt like hours to him, not a single druid was left standing and, at that moment, a dark figure emerged from the trees. Gwaine had to squint to decipher who it was until it clicked: surrounded by Camelot knights, Arthur’s uncle, Agravaine Du Bois, regent of Camelot, marched into the druid camp shouting orders: 

« Find the sorcerer and the king! Bring them to me ALIVE! » 

Gwaine watched helplessly as a squadron of knights ran in the direction of Merlin’s little cabin where he knew his friends were hidden. He considered for a moment fighting his way out, but, there were too many men to take on all by himself, so he decided to stay hidden, believing that he would be of more use to his friends if he wasn’t captured or dead. So he resigned to stay low and wait it out, watching Agravaine’s party leave no stone unturned in the druid camp. 

When the knights noticed Merlin’s trembling form over their king, they assumed that he wasn’t an instant threat and ran back to Agravaine and the others. When the entire party arrived, the scene hadn’t changed: the young warlock was clutching Arthur’s body as he was shaken from body jerking sobs. He only lifted his head when Agravaine took a step forward, a sickeningly fake smile on his lips: 

« We don’t want to hurt you, Merlin, » The regent said, voice almost patronizing, « Just give us the king and come with us willingly and I promise that you will be safe » 

The warlock’s only reaction was to impossibly tighten his hold around Arthur and frown menacingly in the direction of Camelot’s party. When Agravaine took another step forward, Merlin lifted a hand, golden sparks hovering around it. At his movement, the knights all but growled and raised their swords, battle ready: 

« Please, I don’t want to hurt any of you! » Merlin said, « Leave me be! I’m not coming back to Camelot! And Arthur— Arthur’s all but dead! » 

A murmur passed in the ranks of the men around him but Agravaine silenced them with a hand as Merlin wasn’t done talking and he was full on crying yet again: 

« Can’t you see there’s nothing you can do? There’s nothing /I/ can do! Now go away! » 

The regent’s patience was running thin and his fists gripped the cold iron cuffs behind his back so hard that his knuckles were nearly white: 

« Come now Merlin! Everything will be fine if you step away from the king right this instant, » Agravaine’s voice was gradually rising and, when he saw that Merlin wouldn’t move away, he added, « My knights can and /will/ use their strength to protect their king! Right now, I’m the only one keeping them at bay by offering you to surrender to the law of Camelot instead of killing you where you stand, » Agravaine snapped. 

Merlin’s eyes grew wide and scared for a brief moment before turning ice-cold: « I see, » His voice was empty of emotion as he stood, eyes glowing an angry gold, « You think you are the saviour, the only one upholding justice in this mad, mad world that I used to believe in. But, somehow, Arthur still does. He’s the greatest king Camelot will ever have, he’s every bit the man you are not. And I’m not abandoning him without a fight! » 

The following seconds were pure chaos: The knights ran towards the warlock with guttural screams while Merlin had summoned back the elements and lashed out at the men. The wind, the rain and even the occasional lighting felled the soldiers, but there were too many, even for Emrys. Merlin was soon becoming overwhelmed by all the people trying to get to him all at once, so he used a burst of scalding light to make his way through the knights and into the woods. 

For the second time in as many days, Merlin was, once again, running for his life, dodging trees at the last moment and making sharp turns in hope of losing the men following him closely behind. Unfortunately for him, they were closing in fast and Merlin didn’t have enough energy to keep them at bay. So, when the arrows started raining around him, he could only manage a simple spell diverting those getting too close to him, but he was tiring fast and he knew he wouldn’t last long compared to trained knights. Almost as soon as this thought crossed his mind, the men had caught up to him and threw him to the ground, his head crashing on something hard, sending waves of pain through his body. The last thing he registered before blacking out was a pair of cuffs being tightened around his wrists, the cold metal drawing from his life energy. 

— 

When Agravaine and his men left with Merlin and Arthur and Gwaine was sure that they were all gone, he stood up and looked around for druid survivors. Unfortunately, there were none. Gwaine felt a tear roll down his cheek looking upon the massacre before his eyes. He made the decision to come back as soon as he got his friends out of trouble to give them a proper burial with Merlin’s help. 

There was only one thing left to do. Gwaine had to save Merlin from being executed and find a way to get him to Arthur to break his king’s curse. 

So, gathering all his courage and his strength, he set off for yet another journey to Camelot, lifted by a sense of purpose and his chances of success slim. Gwaine was still confident, though, after all, he kind of liked these odds!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! Don't hesitate to comment or give kudos, I'll be happy to talk to you! 
> 
> See you next week!❤️


	6. No Escape From the Storm Inside of Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely readers! I hope you had a great week! Now is the time for yet another chapter of this work! I only have one chapter left of the story, but I might write an epilogue and/or the crack!chapter of Merlin singing Let it Go that some of you asked for. My semester ends in two weeks, so I'll have time to write during winter break and post those two extras. I also have the idea for a second part to this story (I'll create another work and put them both in a collection) based on Frozen II, so tell me if you're interested in reading it! 
> 
> So, I hope you enjoy this longer chapter, I had a lot to write about in this one!

As dawn broke over the white stones of the Camelot castle, Gwaine silently made his way inside the citadel, barely avoiding the sentries’ gaze. Creeping along the walls of the courtyard, hidden in the early morning light, he was hoping to reach Gaius to explain to him what had happened and, possibly, get the old man to help him in his dangerous endeavour. 

Fortunately, Gwaine managed to sneak past numerous guards and was now standing in front of the physician’s door. He was debating whether to knock and make himself known or just open the door and announce his presence. He was saved the trouble of making the decision as Gaius suddenly came out of his room looking distressed and nearly bumped into Gwaine:

« Gwaine?!? » The old man whisper-shouted, « You aren’t supposed to be here! »

« I know Gaius, I came to see you, » Gwaine poked his head in the doorway, peeking inside, « I came to see him »

The physician’s face fell:

« Oh, » He paused there, « So you know »

It wasn’t phrased as a question but Gwaine answered nonetheless:

« Gaius, please, let me help! I was there when it happened! I know what to do! »

The old man raised an eyebrow at the other’s face, but, seeing the sincerity and devotion written there, he bit down any objection he might’ve had with allowing Gwaine in his workshop and stepped aside to let him in. When both men were safely inside the room, away from prying ears, Gwaine sat on the wooden bench, eyes trained on Arthur’s pale form on the patient’s bed. He looked up at Gaius, a questioning look in his eyes but the physician just shook his head and looked away, settling down on a chair next to the young man:

« Alright, I don’t know how long Arthur has. I haven’t found anything about his condition or what I could do to wake him up. Agravaine only told me that Merlin had intended to kill him with his magic, » Gaius took a breath there, « My poor boy! He must be scared out of his mind! Arthur’s life is on the line because of him and he, himself, is scheduled to be burned at the stake in but a few hours! »

Gwaine had never seen Gaius look as old as he did right now, but the physician wasn’t done talking:

« So I hope that something good will come out of whatever you have to say because I couldn’t bear to lose both boys I came to consider as my sons »

« Actually, I do, » Gwaine began and felt a pang in his chest at Gaius’ hopeful look, he had never seen the man so desperate, « To cut a long story short, as soon as the, let’s say accident, happened, I ran back to the druids to tell them what had happened. The leader told me that only true love’s kiss could break a spell that had reached the heart, » He sent the physician a knowing look, « But I couldn’t get back to Merlin and Arthur because his maniacal uncle murdered every druid and kidnapped the king and his manservant! »

Gaius’ gaze rested on Arthur who still showed no sign of coming back around and thought before answering:

« And you think Merlin could be the one to break the curse? » 

« I’m certain, Gaius. Have you seen them together? They’re basically like two sides of the same coin! Their devotion to the other is plain for everyone to see and they know each other better than any of us could even imagine, » Gwaine said before calming down for a second, « At least, I think we should give it a try »

The old man pondered for a moment what Gwaine had suggested and began pacing the length of his room:

« Alright, so we would need to find a way to get an unconscious Arthur down to the dungeons to Merlin’s heavily guarded cell, while passing through almost the entire castle filled with patrolling knights, all before dawn tomorrow? »

« That pretty much sums it up! Although I would suggest going at it when the sun goes down, right before the change of guard for the night. That’s when security will be less organized. That’s when we’ll make our move! »

—

By some holy coincidence, Gwaine and Gaius safely made it to the dungeons carrying Arthur rolled inside an embroidered carpet with Gwaine disguised as a guard in Camelot uniform. Sure, they did get a few questioning looks as to why a respectable old man such as Gaius would be carrying a carpet with only one guard to help him, but no one dared to speak when faced with his Eyebrow of Doom TM. 

Gwaine couldn’t believe how lucky they were and he couldn’t help but think: `Somebody up there likes us!’

When both men arrived at the top of the flame-lit staircase leading to the dungeons, they set the other part of their plan into action: Gwaine would sit at the guards’ table so that, when the night patrol would come, he could dismiss them saying that the post was already taken care of. Gaius, for his part, was there only in case of an emergency, like Gwaine being unable to send the guards away and needing a tincture of the physician’s invention to spike the guards’ drinks and effectively knock them out. 

Fortunately, when the night patrol arrived, they saw Gwaine settling down at the small wooden table, pouring himself a cup of ale and just left as soon as Gwaine used his inane charm and told them that they were relieved of their duties for the night because he was sent as a replacement. When he was certain that no one else would come, Gwaine sprang into action and ran to Gaius’ hiding place and helped guide him to Merlin’s cell, carrying the carpet inside of which Arthur was rolled. 

They passed a few empty cells and Gwaine started panicking as he couldn’t find where Agravaine had stashed his friend and began fearing that he had been placed somewhere else, but, a few cells before the end of the corridor, he noticed a small, trembling form curled up around itself that could only be Merlin. He looked at Gaius who just shrugged before setting Arthur down on the filthy ground to reach between the bars:

« Merlin! It’s Gaius! Please look at me! » The old man pleaded, whispering.

Almost instantly, a pale face was visible in the musty air of the cell as the warlock looked around in despair. Seeing Gaius and Gwaine’s looks, Merlin tried to sit up but only managed to dizzy himself even more so. After all, he had suffered quite a blow to the head! Instead, he opted for an undignified crawl towards his friends. He didn’t manage to get far, though, before he was held back by the chains tying the iron cuffs blocking his magic to the opposite wall. The warlock let out a defeated grunt and sank back to the ground, looking into Gaius and Gwaine’s eyes with such a sad look that Gwaine’s heart felt as if it would break in a million different pieces. 

Gaius was the first to act, turning to the carpet that held Arthur to try and carry him to Merlin to break the curse, but, as the old physician slid the king’s body nearer to the warlock, he seemed to stir a little. Noticing this, Gwaine instantly took hold of Arthur to bring him as close to Merlin as possible. When the king opened his eyes, Gwaine gestured to the imprisoned sorcerer which made Arthur spring into action as much as he could in his cursed state. 

Seeing Arthur get better the closer he was to Merlin, Gaius deemed it worthy of getting up to go fetch the keys which would open the cell and allow the two men to break the curse. Unfortunately, it seemed that Agravaine had taken precautions and had removed the keys from their usual hiding place. The physician decided to keep looking around in case the last guards had drunk one too many drinks and simply misplaced the keys. 

Gaius had barely started his investigation as a hand wrapped itself around his mouth and a strong body dragged him inside a closet and locked him in there, not before gagging him.

—

Arthur was sitting on his knees, Gwaine steadying him with a strong arm wrapped around his own. The king gripped the cell bars as if his life depended on it, his knuckles turning white, as Merlin tugged on his chains to get closer to Arthur:

« Merlin, » Arthur breathed as Merlin whispered at the same time, « Arthur »

Sensing that he was in the middle of something private, Gwaine let the king’s arm go and stood up, telling his friends that he was looking for Gaius who still hadn’t come back with the keys.

« How— how are you still alive? My magic hit you! You were dying! » Merlin was crying now.

« I don’t know, it seems that whatever spell you put on me lifts a little bit when I’m with you. But I’m here now! I won’t let you die, Merlin, » Arthur’s eyes bore into his servant’s, a look of determination and passion overtaking his features, « I promise »

As soon as those words were uttered, both men heard a clanging noise coming from the hall. As Arthur turned around and Merlin stained to see, a dark figure emerged from the shadows where Gwaine and Gaius had disappeared a few moments ago. Arthur used the cell bars to help himself up and face whomever was coming their way. His eyes widened both he and Merlin recognized the man:

« Uncle »

Agravaine let out a breathy laugh right before his expression changed to a grim fury:

« Move aside, Arthur. Hasn’t the sorcerer caused you enough harm? I was going to wait until dawn to execute him but, seeing as you are awake, it would be much more relevant to kill him now, right before your eyes »

« I am still the king! You have no business ordering me around! /I/ should be the one executing /you/ for treason! » Arthur spat, « Now, give me the keys so I can free Merlin. Then, I’ll deal with you »

The king tried to take a step forward, but Agravaine stopped him by unsheathing his sword and pointing it at Arthur’s neck. Merlin drew a breath as Arthur picked up the sword Gwaine had left on the ground next to him and mirrored his uncle position, ready for battle, both men haughtily looking into the other’s eyes.

Agravaine was the first one to make a move, drawing his sword in a wide arc directed at Arthur’s head, but, being the best swordsman in Albion, the king of Camelot easily blocked the strike and immediately retaliated with a parry of his own. Both men being skilled fighters, they danced around each other for quite some time before anyone managed to land a blow. Agravaine was the first to strike, his sword grazing Arthur’s thigh. Usually, the king would’ve been able to block such a move, but, being in his cursed state, how could only dodge as much as he could while trying to land a blow of his own. Proud of his strike, Agravaine seemed to let his guard down a little, which allowed Arthur to roll on the ground and flipping and just the right moment to stab his sword in his uncle’s gut. Effectively, the corrupt regent dropped his sword and fell to his knees, clutching his bloodied chest.

Arthur took no time in dropping to the ground too and crawled to the door of Merlin’s cell, where the warlock was trying, to no avail, to break free of his chains. When he looked up, they smiled at each other, only for a moment before Merlin’s face contorted in worry, screaming:

« Arthur! Behind you! »

But it was too late. When Arthur had his back to his uncle, the regent manage to gather the last of his strength to crawl to where the king was and lifted his sword, burying it deep in between Arthur’s ribs, right before falling back to the ground, lifeless. 

Merlin’s scream filled the air. He was sure it could be heard in the entire castle, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. His sobs shook him to the core and made his whole body tremble. He could feel the magic bubbling inside him, begging to be set free, but unable to find relief it so desired because of the cold iron cuffs blocking it. Everything hurt, both physically and mentally. His body was thrumming under the assault of his magic, and his sadness, his rage and his grief took over his mind, threatening to make him go crazy.

Just when he thought that he would die from his madness, something inside of him clicked. For a brief instant, the storm inside his mind froze and he could see everything clearly. Suddenly, he could hear every little thing around him: the scuttling of a rat in the cell at the end of the corridor, the fires burning in the kitchens, the soft footsteps of the maids running around with piles of laundry and, most importantly, Arthur’s ragged breaths. This thought grounded him and he opened his eyes, surely glowing gold with all the magic flooding through his veins, and let the magic take over, shooting out of him in powerful tendrils of liquid gold, breaking the feeble cuffs and bursting the cell door from its hinges. Merlin took a moment to laugh at his own stupidity: How could he have believed that his magic could be contained? He was magic incarnate! Emrys, the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the earth! Nothing could keep him away from his king. With this thought, the warlock reined in his magic and ran to kneel by Arthur, with only one goal in his mind: Saving his other half!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Again, comments and kudos are always appreciated, as I love hearing from you guys, gals and non-binary people! So, that's it for me for this week, and I'll see you next Thursday for the last chapter of For the First Time in Forever! Thank you for sticking this long with me! I love you! ❤️❤️❤️


	7. We'll Make the Sun Shine Bright

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello wonderful readers!   
> This is the last chapter of For the First Time in Forever! The story is officially over, but I planned to write an epilogue for next week, so I highly suggest sticking around for that too! I will also post a bonus crack!chapter of Merlin singing Let it Go since some of you asked for it, but I have no idea when that'll be because the end of the semester is really intense 🤷♀️  
> So, I hope you enjoy this week's chapter!

Merlin’s knees hit the ground next to Arthur’s body. His hands slid around his king’s torso, pulling him up against his chest, roaming all over his body, magic flowing freely, healing wound after wound. 

When Arthur didn’t wake up, the warlock began to feel panic rising in his chest. After all he had done, he still couldn’t save the once and future king. Feeling like he had failed everything, Merlin resigned himself to memorize every single one of Arthur’s features. He took a moment to admire his other half, all golden hair sticking to his sweaty forehead and lips slightly parted between which a faint filter of air made its way to the king’s lungs. Lips that Merlin had always dreamed of kissing. Lips that he had spent countless sleepless nights imagining pressing gently on his. Lips that he could kiss right now, without anyone else knowing. A silent goodbye to his king. 

Merlin let out a small sob and, following his instincts, bent down and captured Arthur’s mouth with his. The contact only lasted for a few seconds, but, when Merlin started to pull back, he felt a hand resting against the nape of his neck, stroking the little hairs there. The warlock gasped and opened his eyes only to find Arthur looking back at him, a small smile playing on his lips. Lips that Merlin had just kissed. Lips that came crashing back on his, this time taking the lead. Arthur sat up straighter, never once breaking the kiss, and lifted a hand to cradle Merlin’s jaw, the other coming to rest around his waist. 

They kissed for what felt like an eternity. They kissed to express all they ever wanted to say to the other but never could. They kissed all the pain and fear away. They kissed for the love that unites them. They kissed for each other. 

It was Merlin who came out for air first, panting and smiling like he had the most precious thing in the world in his arms, which, in a way, he did. Arthur returned the smile, white teeth flashing in the darkness of the dungeons and leaned forward to give a quick peck to Merlin’s lips:

« You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this, » he breathed. 

Merlin chuckled and looked down, a blush colouring his cheeks:

« I think I’ve been in love with you since the day I met you, » the warlock admitted, « Well, /after/ you stopped being a prat that is, » he added, a smirk gracing his features.

Arthur huffed and rolled his eyes, faking offence:

« /Mer/lin! Do I have to remind you that you are speaking to your king? »

« When did I /ever/ address you as something other than the clotpole you are? » Merlin laughed, Arthur joining him.

« And I wouldn’t have it any other way, » the king answered, once again cupping his sorcerer’s face between his hands. Just as their lips were about to connect, they heard a noise coming from further down the corridor and a voice resembling Gwaine’s screaming:

« If you two lovebirds are done kissing, would you /please/ come over here and let us out! »

Arthur chuckled, resting his forehead against Merlin’s for a moment before standing up and taking Merlin’s hand in his, leading him away from Agravaine’s dead body. 

« Should we do something about your uncle? » Merlin asked.

« We’ll take care of it later. Right now, we have more important stuff to do, » Arthur answered, squeezing his hand.

When they arrived at the foot of the staircase, the king picked up the keys Agravaine had left on the ground and unlocked the broom cupboard from which Gwaine’s increasingly impatient voice came from. As soon as the door flew open, Gwaine tumbled out and fell to the ground at Arthur’s feet:

« Glad to see you’re alive and well, princess! » Upon seeing the boys’ joined hands, he added, « Looks like true love’s kiss worked after all! »

Merlin and Arthur looked at each other, a quizzical look on their faces, and simply shrugged. 

Gaius’ exit of the broom cupboard was more dignified. He strode out calmly, moving past Gwaine who was trying to stand up with Arthur’s help, to go straight to Merlin. The old physician took his apprentice in his arms and held him like his life depended on it. When he finally let go, he looked into Merlin’s eyes:

« My dear boy! I was so scared! How could you run away like that and expect me not to worry? And when Agravaine came back and said that you had tried to kill Arthur with your magic? You were sentenced to die! »

Merlin took Gaius’ hands in his and squeezed gently, not unlike how Arthur had done barely a few minutes ago:

« I know, and I’m sorry… » Arthur and Gwaine were now intensely looking at him, « I— I was just so scared of you reaction, Arthur. I betrayed you all! I couldn’t bear to see you carry on the sentence, » Merlin said, bowing his head in same.

Something inside Arthur stirred at hearing what Merlin just confessed and he took the man in his arms:

« I would never be able to hurt you, Merlin, much less kill you, » Arthur assured him. When Merlin raised his head to look at him, the king continued:

« Sure, I was mad that you had lied for all that time, but I understand why you did it. Now, you don’t have to live in fear anymore, you don’t have to hide. No one else will fear for their lives when they come to Camelot. That’s why my first act as king will be to revoke the ban on magic! »

Seeing Merlin’s face light up like that quickly became one of Arthur’s favourite things in the world and he swore to find ways to make him smile like that as much as possible. That is the main reason for his next proclamation:

« And my second act as king of Camelot is to appoint a court sorcerer, » He took Merlin’s hands in his and, with the kingliest voice he could muster, asked him, « Merlin, would you do me the honour of becoming Camelot’s first ever court sorcerer? »

The warlock’s eyes widened and he nodded his head frantically, jumping to lock his arms around Arthur’s neck and kissing him on the mouth:

« Yes! Yes! Yes! »

The king spun him around, Gaius and Gwaine joining them in laughter. Arthur set Merlin down and took his hand in his and looked Gwaine in the eye:

« Gwaine, I cannot thank you enough for helping me in this endeavour of mine, risking your life to save, not only Merlin’s life, but mine as well. For your courage, your strength and your bravery, I would like to give you the highest honour a king can give. Would you, Sir Gwaine, accept my offer to become a knight of Camelot? »

Gwaine was frozen in shock and it took him until Merlin nudged him in the shoulder to kneel and look up to Arthur:

« I accept the honour you are bestowing on me, your highness »

Arthur unsheathed his sword and let the flat edge rest on each of Gwaine’s shoulders:

« Arise, Sir Gwaine, knight of Camelot »

Gwaine straightened up and clasped Arthur’s hand in his, the man pulling him in a brotherly embrace, as Merlin and Gaius were clapping frantically. Before Arthur pulled back, though, he whispered in his ear:

« Don’t worry, we’ll make it more official once we’re out of this dungeon »

Gwaine laughed at that and they all smiled at each other. Arthur took Merlin’s hand back into his and motioned for them to follow him to the castle, up the flame-lit staircase. 

When they arrived upstairs, they noticed that the storm had gone. Instead of rain, thunder and lightening, the night sky was littered with shining stars and the full moon shone its silver rays of light upon the kingdom. Arthur looked at Merlin, question clear in his eyes to which the warlock answered:

« Let’s just say that, if love is strong enough to break a deadly curse, I figured it could be strong enough to lift the storm, » he shrugged, « I guess I was right »

Arthur couldn’t keep his eyes off Merlin and said softly, almost tenderly:

« You’ll never cease to amaze me »

But before Merlin could answer, Gwaine interrupted them with his own thoughts on the matter:

« Ugh! You utter saps! Go get a room! »

Merlin and Arthur dissolved in a fit of laughter which had even Gaius joining in. When the laughter broke down, the old physician addressed the newly crowned king:

« We should all get some rest, now. Tomorrow, sire, you should talk to your subjects, let them know you are back and ready to lead them, » He shared a look with Merlin, « Let them know that they should rejoice for Albion’s golden age has begun »

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! You have no idea how much it means to me! I have to say that I am a bit emotional because this is the first story I actually completed and posted each week, even with school taking all of my time, so I wish to thank everyone who has left kudos or a comment!   
> This is not goodbye yet, I will see you all next week! ❤️❤️❤️❤️


	8. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah I give you the epilogue almost a month later! I just wasn't inspired! Hope you won't hate me 😂 Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this, as I am finally satisfied with how it turned out! Sure, it's a bit cliché and many, many people already wrote similar stuff, but I think it was sweet!

Merlin was clad in deep purple velvet that hung perfectly around his lithe frame. He had traded his usual neckerchief for a very regal-looking coat that Arthur had gifted him. For once, his unruly hair was smoothed out and didn’t stick in every direction. 

That’s what the warlock saw when he turned around and looked in the mirror. An air of power emanated from his entire form, magic nearly tangible around him. He didn’t look like a serving boy anymore. He very well looked like royalty; a man fit to be the king’s closest advisor and protector, but also the king’s lover. 

Merlin caught said king’s eyes in the mirror; stormy blue met ocean blue. Where Merlin’s gaze revealed the nervousness he felt, Arthur’s eyes shone with something akin to pride and love. 

Arthur wrapped his arms around his love’s waist from behind in a sort of hug and rested his chin on Merlin’s shoulder, whispering softly in his ear:

« You don’t have to be nervous, Merlin. The people love you and trust you. There could be no better man to fulfill the role of court sorcerer than you, » He pressed a soft kiss to Merlin’s cheek, « There’s no one else I’d rather have by my side than you »

The warlock turned around in Arthur’s arms so that they were face to face and rested his forehead against his king’s:

« I trust you with my life, Arthur. I trust in your judgment, you know that. If you believe in me, then I just hope that I will be able to rise to the task and be deserving of this honour »

Arthur smiled softly:

« Oh, but you already are »

The king leaned in and let their lips connect in a slow, loving kiss. Merlin’s hands came up to tangle in Arthur’s soft golden curls while his love tightened his hold around his waist. Their languid kiss was only interrupted by a soft knock on the wooden door and Leon’s voice telling them that it was time.

The lovers broke apart and Merlin made to leave, but Arthur’s hand on his arm made him turn around. The king held a silver circlet in his hands:

« Before you go, I want you to wear this. This way, people will know that you are mine and how much I value you »

Merlin looked at him, his eyes glistening with tears and a small, unbelieving smile tugging at his lips. Arthur raised his hands and set the circlet on his warlock’s head, silver piercing through his ebony locks and the amethysts glistening in the soft light around them. 

The king looked at his soon-to-be court sorcerer with adoration as he let his hands slide down to hold Merlin’s:

« I also hope that, one day, it could change to a crown »

The warlock’s eyes widened impossibly and a few of the tears he’d been trying to hold back slid down his cheeks:

« Are you...? » He trailed off, but Arthur understood anyway.

« Yes, Merlin. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I love you so, so much and, after all that we’ve been through, all that we’ve survived, I want you to by my side, forever, as equals, » Arthur dropped down on one knee and, for old time’s sake, smirked at Merlin, « So, warlock of my heart, » said warlock rolled his eyes and chuckled, « Would you like to become Merlin Pendragon? »

Arthur had barely finished asking his question and was tackled to the ground, being kissed ferociously by Merlin. The king gently pushed him away so they were both sitting on the floor, Merlin straddling Arthur’s lap:

« Is that a yes? » Arthur asked with a smile, 

« Of course, you Dollophead! » Merlin answered, resuming his kissing, but, before long, Arthur had to stop him again:

« As much as I like where this is going, I have a court sorcerer to name and /you/, » he poked his finger between Merlin’s ribs effectively making him laugh, « Have to be there before me, » Arthur finished as Merlin got up:

« Fine, fine, I’m going! » The warlock laughed and, as he was about to close the door called, « I love you Arthur »

« I love you too Merlin »

—

« By the powers vested in me, I name you, Merlin, court sorcerer of Camelot! »

The room erupted in cheers as Merlin stood up and turned around to face the crowd, as huge smile plastered on his face. Arthur got down the few steps that separated him from Merlin and took his hand in his, giving him a knowing look before turning back to his people, smiling from ear to ear. After a few moments, Arthur lifted a hand and the cheers slowly faded to nothing to let the king speak:

« I wish to take this moment to make an announcement, » Arthur began, « Merlin isn’t only my court sorcerer, he is also my fiancé »

The crowd went wild. Everyone stood up in a great roar of applause, shouting congratulations to the newly engaged couple. They even head someone whoop and whistle; probably Gwaine.

Merlin and Arthur looked at each other, happiness written clearly on both their faces as they soaked in the love of their people and their love for each other.

—

Later that night, after the feast in Merlin’s honour, the king and court sorcerer lay in bed looking at the ceiling, holding hands as Merlin lazily moved tendrils of golden magic over their heads. When Arthur turned around to look at him, Merlin dropped his hand and let it rest across Arthur’s body, looking directly into Arthur’s eyes. It was the king who broke the silence first:

« You’ll never cease to amaze me, Merlin »

The warlock felt a blush begin to colour his cheeks.

« Thanks to you, Camelot’s future is bright. Together, we will unite the five kingdoms »

Merlin continued:

« Together, we will bring Albion’s golden age »

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the epilogue of For the First Time in Forever! I'll also try to write the bonus crack!chapter with Merlin singing Let it Go, but I have no idea how it will turn out 😂 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you had happy holidays and I wish you all a better year than 2020! 😂

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! If there's anything you think I should know, whether it be about the writing, the plot, any mistakes, or you just want to talk to me, go ahead! I'm open to constructive criticism and comments! And if you have any prompts or something you'd like me to write in any fandom (giving I read/watched it) I'd be more than happy to write your ideas!


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